Certified Life Coach.org & Coach - What Is Parent Coaching?...

All parents have experienced the ups and downs of parenting. We relish those early morning cuddles in bed. We live for the little ?I love you?s? that always come at just the right moment. But we?ve also had to deal with the temper tantrums, the troubles in school, and the worrying that goes along with our teens late-night adventures. How often have we second guessed out decisions about what?s best for our kids or how to handles a specific problem? How many times have we turned to those around us for suggestions, only to get a hurried answer or an unwanted opinion? Parents today face many more challenges than even those a generation ago had to deal with. Many families are separated by thousands of miles. Often times, both parents have to work, so nannies and day care centers are responsible for taking care of our children. Popular culture and the media play a huge role in what our children are exposed to, including adult themes and violence. We have to be even more deliberate and diligent as parents in today?s society, but doing this alone can be a formidable task. Now, we don?t have to do it along - the new vocation of Parent Coaching is filling the gap for today?s parents.

What is Parent Coaching?
Parent Coaching supports parents by providing a shoulder-to-shoulder relationship where the parental ideals and priorities are identified and realized through a personalized couching process. A Parent Coach listens intently to discover the parent?s strengths and what is ?working? in the family. A Coach asks authentic, hope filled questions while offering useful information and specific suggestions to help the parent implement new attitudes and strategies. Since parenting issues are varied, the reasons that parents seek out Parent Coaches are varied as well. A Parent Coach can:

∙ Help parents navigate the school system and become a more effective advocate for their children

∙ Encourage parents to set priorities and make clear decisions based on what is most important to them and best for their children

∙ Address how to sustain parental energy and involvement as the children get older

∙ Guide parents in developing motivation techniques for homework, identifying their child?s strengths, celebrating their own attributes, and everything between

What Can You Expect?
During coaching phone conversations, the coach helps you discover constructive ways to address a situation that may be causing you some concern. A Coach will also assist you in identifying your goals, and help you design action steps to attain those goals and dreams. The parent will be encouraged to discover and address stresses and challenges which may be impacting the family, helping the parent to evaluate the systems in place which are supportive, and guiding the parent to tap into them more efficiently. Usually, the phone conversations are 45 to 60 minutes in length. They are either weekly or bi-monthly for an agreed upon period of time, such as three months. One or both parents can be on the call which is scheduled at a time most convenient for the parent. For some, this might be in their pajamas after a long day when their kids are asleep. After Parent Coaching, parents can expect to laugh more and find deeper satisfaction in their role as a parent. They can expect lots of understanding, compassion, and support as well as practical resources and information tailored to fit their individual situation and family.

Parent Coaching is filling the gap for parents who need support for the everyday challenges they face while raising their kids. Coaches are not therapists who deal with heavy issues such as domestic violence or healing associated with trauma. Instead, they allow parents to get in touch with the parents they want to become and have the family they?ve always dreamed of. When finding a Parent Coach, parents need to make sure that the Coach has the proper education and credentials. There are a few programs in the country where specific coach training if offered. For example, the Parent Coaching Institute (www.thepci.com) in Seattle, Washington, which is affiliated with Seattle Pacific University, is the only program in the country to offering a graduate level certification in Parent Coaching consisting of a 12-18 month course of study as well as a practicum. Other programs offer a 3 month course while others only require a weekend workshop. Parent Coaching is an investment and commitment to you and your family. Parents will reap the benefits and rewards of a professionally trained listener and advisor, who can support and encourage them on your their parenting journey. You and your family are worth every penny of it.

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Economic Growth Continues - More Than 5.3 Million Jobs Created Since August 2003
On June 2, 2006, The Government Released New Jobs Figures – 75,000 Jobs Created In May. The economy has created about 1.9 million jobs over the past 12 months – and more than 5.3 million since August 2003. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent – lower than the average of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

Revised Report Shows Fastest Real GDP Growth In Two-And-A-Half Years. Real GDP grew at an annual rate of 5.3 percent for the first quarter of this year. This follows our economic growth of 3.5 percent in 2005 – the fastest rate of any major industrialized nation.

Productivity Increased At A Strong Annual Rate Of 3.7 Percent In The First Quarter.

Real Hourly Compensation Rose At A 3.2 Percent Annual Rate In The First Quarter.

Personal Income Increased At An Annual Rate Of 6.7 Percent In April. Since January 2001, real after-tax income has risen by 12.9 percent, or 7.3 percent per person.

Real Consumer Spending Increased At An Annual Rate Of 5.2 Percent In The First Quarter.

Employment Increased In 47 States Over The Past 12 Months Ending In April. Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 41 states in April.

Industrial Production Increased 4.7 Percent Over The Past 12 Months. Over the past 12 months, manufacturing production has increased by 5.5 percent.

This Week, President Bush Nominated Henry Paulson As Treasury Secretary. Paulson has an intimate knowledge of financial markets and an ability to explain economic issues in clear terms. For the past eight years, Paulson has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Goldman Sachs Group, one of the most respected firms on Wall Street.

The President Has Expanded Tax Relief And Is Working To Make His Tax Relief Permanent. Two weeks ago, President Bush signed into law a bill that extends the tax cuts on dividends and capital gains. This legislation also contains an Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch enabling millions of middle-income families to avoid paying higher taxes in 2006.

The President’s Tax Relief Has Helped Spur Growth By Keeping $880 Billion In The Pockets Of American Taxpayers. The Administration reduced taxes for every American who pays income taxes, doubled the child tax credit, reduced the marriage penalty, created investment incentives for small businesses, and put the death tax on the road to extinction.

Growing The Economy And Reducing The Deficit Depend On Controlling The Spending Appetite Of The Federal Government. Every year since the President took office, the Administration has slowed the growth of discretionary spending that is not related to the military or homeland security. The President's last two budgets cut discretionary spending that was unrelated to the military or homeland security, and we are on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009.

If The Emergency Supplemental Bill – Which The President Has Requested To Help Fund The War On Terror And Hurricane Recovery – Includes Non-Emergency Or Wasteful Spending Or Exceeds The President's Set Limit Of $92.2 Billion Plus Funding To Prepare Our Nation For A Pandemic Flu Emergency, He Will Veto It.

In The Long Run, The Biggest Challenge To Our Nation's Budgetary Health Is Entitlement Spending On Programs Such As Social Security And Medicare. We call on members of both parties to join us in a bipartisan commission to address this critical issue.

The President Will Continue Working With Congress To Restrain Spending In Other Ways, Including Passing A Line-Item Veto. A line-item veto would allow us to cut needless spending, reduce the budget deficit, and ensure that every taxpayer dollar is spent wisely – or not at all.